Mystery app hints at upcoming release of FreeTime subscription service for Fire TV

FreeTime Unlimited is a content subscription service coming to the Fire TV which gives unlimited access to ebooks, movies, TV shows, educational apps and games aimed at 3-to-8-year-olds. The service was scheduled to arrive on the Fire TV in May and cost $2.99 per child or $6.99 per family (up to six kids) per month for Prime members; $4.99 per child or $9.99 per family per month for non-Prime members. The release date has since been changed from May to “this Spring“. A new app has appeared in the Fire TV app menu, named Buddy & Me (FreeTime Unlimited Edition), hinting at an eminent release of the FreeTime Unlimited service.

The app appears in the “Now Available on Amazon Fire TV” list within the Apps menu of the Fire TV with a price of Free. An app by the same name, but minus the “FreeTime Unlimited Edition” designation, appears in the Appstore for $0.99. If you try to buy the FreeTime version, the purchase fails. The two apps have unique product ASIN ID numbers, but the FreeTime version brings up a 404 error page on Amazon.

We suspect this app was not supposed to appear on the Fire TV until after the release of the FireTime Unlimited content subscription service. The fact it has leaked out indicates the service is coming just around the corner and bringing with it free versions of popular children’s apps. Amazon has 4 days of Spring left to meet their deadline of “this Spring”, and if the appearance of this app is any indication, it looks like they just might make that deadline.